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PARKERSBURG - A Wood County sheriff's deputy has been cleared in a May shooting that left an armed suspect dead.
Evidence related to the incident was presented to the Wood County Grand Jury during a recent special session, according to a statement from the jury's foreperson released this afternoon along with the indictments of 17 individuals.
"After reviewing the evidence and deliberating, the Grand Jury determined the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances," the statement says, citing evidence from the investigating trooper with the West Virginia State Police, video evidence, witness statements, photographs, reports and test results.
Miguel Angel Gallegos, 49, of 3408 25th St., Parkersburg, died May 16 after exchanging gunfire with Parkersburg Police and sheriff's deputies. The body of 45-year-old Evelyn Lassend, of the same address, was found inside after Gallegos was shot.
Investigators determined Gallegos shot and killed Lessend prior to officers' arrival at the scene, the statement says.
Police responded to the apartment complex where Gallegos lived for an unknown problem and eventually observed him inside, armed with a pistol, according to previous reports and the foreperson's statement. When he was told to drop the weapon, he began firing on officers, the statement says.
Police requested the assistance of the Wood County Sheriff's Office and its armored vehicle.
"Efforts to secure Mr. Gallegos' peaceful surrender were unsuccessful, and he continued to fire at law enforcement officers," the statement says. Ultimately, a deputy returned fire, "striking Mr. Gallegos and causing his death."
The deputy was not identified in the statement, and officials declined to release the name Monday evening.
Indictments returned by the grand jury included:
* Jaylen D. Bell, 31, in custody at the North Central Regional Jail; second-offense possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and second-offense transportation of a controlled substance into the state from July.
* Michael Lee Brown, 38, North Central Regional Jail; five counts of failure to register, two counts of child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, and one count each of child abuse resulting in bodily injury and domestic battery from August. Co-defendant Shana Danielle Brown, 39, 2614 Hugh St., Parkersburg, was indicted on two counts of child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury from August.
* Andre Michael Daughtry, 26, North Central Regional Jail; six counts of counterfeiting from September.
* Rose Marie Davis, 21, North Central Regional Jail; battery of a law-enforcement officer and two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer from August.
* Antonio Manule Defrietas, 30, North Central Regional Jail; malicious assault, domestic battery and destruction of property from June.
* Clayton James Fox, 39, North Central Regional Jail; two counts each of battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a correctional employee and assault on a correctional employee and one count each of assault on a law enforcement officer and obstructing an officer from August.
* Davontay Wendell Harper, 19, and Lemonte Kymere Thornton, 18, both in custody at the North Central Regional Jail; one count each of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and conspiracy to commit possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver from July. Harper also faces a charge of obstruction.
* Patrick Thomas Knotts, 60, North Central Regional Jail; grand larceny, fleeing from an officer in a vehicle with reckless indifference and obstructing an officer from August.
* Allen Marshall Lott, 54, North Central Regional Jail; fleeing from an officer in a vehicle causing bodily injury, no motorcycle license or endorsement, third-offense driving while license suspended or revoked and reckless driving from August.
* Jaedan Riley Metz, 22, North Central Regional Jail; five counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person of trust; three counts of second-degree sexual assault; and one count each of first-degree sexual assault, wanton endangerment with a firearm, use or presentation of a firearm during the commission of a felony and first-degree sexual abuse from January 2025 through July of this year, as well as two counts of third-degree sexual assault from July 2023 through July 2024.
* Nathaniel Page Pittman, 35, 216 Ranis Road, Belleville; one count each of attempted grand larceny, obstructing an officer, indecent exposure, false reporting of an emergency, burglary and destruction of property from July 2025.
* Joshua Dean Sprague, 46, North Central Regional Jail, two counts of battery of a health care worker from August.
* Andrew James Strock, 46, North Central Regional Jail; two counts of making terroristic threats and two counts of retaliation against a public official from August.
* Gerald Franklin Uphold, 51, North Central Regional Jail; third-offense driving while license revoked for driving under the influence of alcohol from August.
* Hannah Louise Wilfong, 29, North Central Regional Jail; burglary, destruction of property and petit larceny from February.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com.